


Cat's In The Cradle

by Theralion



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-13 07:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29648082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Theralion/pseuds/Theralion
Summary: By the time Kyoko realized what Makoto meant to her, he was already beyond her reach.
Relationships: Maizono Sayaka/Naegi Makoto
Comments: 2
Kudos: 16





	1. My Child Arrived Just The Other Day

**Cat's In The Cradle**

* * *

**Act I: My Child Arrived Just The Other Day**

_And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon_

_Little boy blue and the man in the moon_

_When you coming home Dad, I don't know when_

_But we'll get together then_

_You know we'll have a good time then_

Kyoko Kirigiri had one reason for coming to Hope's Peak Academy- to settle things with her father.

As far as she knew, her father believed that running a school was more important than continuing the family's tradition of being detectives, or raising his daughter.

So Kyoko knew what she had to do. Using her talent for detective work, she planned to gain admittance to her father's school and cut ties with him.

With laser focus on the task at hand, Kyoko achieved her goal. She'd learned the hard way that letting her emotions get the better of her could cost her dearly, and since she was reminded of that mistake every time she looked at her gloved hands or the burn scars underneath, she had no intention of repeating it.

* * *

After the opening ceremony, the fifteen students of Class 78-C went around introducing themselves to one another, giving their names, their talents and any other details they saw fit to provide to their new classmates. Some were talkative, while others kept their cards close to their chests, and Kyoko was firmly in the latter category.

An average-looking boy walked up to Kyoko. Kyoko had seen him making the rounds and introducing himself, but was surprised that he seemed specifically interested in her.

"Hello," the boy said. "My name is Makoto Naegi, the Ultimate Lucky Student. What's yours?"

"Kyoko Kirigiri," Kyoko said, "the Ultimate Detective."

Kyoko was almost tempted to only provide her surname, since it seemed unlikely that she and Makoto would ever get onto a first-name basis, but felt it was good to respond in kind.

"Nice to meet you, Kirigiri-san," Makoto said, as they exchanged bows. "I didn't see any information about you when I searched for information about our class, so I'd like for us to get to know each other a bit better."

"I'm not surprised that not many people are talking about me online," Kyoko said, "since while many Ultimates were famous beforehand, I'm not like them. It was extremely unusual for me to stand out."

"Oh, I see," Makoto said. "Personally, I don't have any talents I could claim as my own, and was only selected by chance."

Kyoko nodded, and listened to Makoto talk about himself for a little while, trying to get her to join in.

"If you don't mind my asking, Naegi-kun," Kyoko said, "why are you telling all this to someone you just met?"

"Why wouldn't I?" Makoto said. "After all, I'm hoping we could become friends."

"Friends, is it?" Kyoko said. "It's rather bold to suggest this to someone you just met. I would assume it's a ploy to gather information about me, but so far, you've been the one offering information on yourself."

"Is that a bad thing?" Makoto said.

Kyoko paused and shrugged.

"Not necessarily," Kyoko said. "Any information you give out, both from what you tell others outright and what you show them in your actions, can be used against you. However, there seems to be no apparent ulterior motive behind your offer of friendship, so you're honest, if nothing else."

"Thanks, I guess," Makoto said. "I guess you mean it as a compliment, but it doesn't feel like one."

"My apologies," Kyoko said. "We merely come from different walks of life. Each of us, as well as our thirteen classmates and other schoolmates, has our own specializations, our own backgrounds, so I believe few of us will find much common ground."

Makoto shook his head. Perhaps some of his classmates had different talents, from athletic ones to intellectual ones, from traditional arts to new fields of expertise, from practicing respectable professions to committing crimes, but he didn't see them that way. All of them were young people in the same age group who went to the same school and spoke the same language, so he had no doubt that they could form connections with each other if they had open minds and open hearts.

"Maybe not," Makoto said, "but who says you can only be friends with people who are just like you? Befriending different people can enrich your life."

"I'll take that under consideration," Kyoko said. "I suppose each of us has people we haven't introduced ourselves to yet, so I'll let you get to it. It was nice meeting you, Naegi-kun."

Kyoko parted ways with Makoto, amused and slightly touched by his honesty. As she overheard him talking with Sayaka Maizono, the Ultimate Pop Sensation and a former schoolmate of Makoto's, and saw that they weren't completely strangers to each other, something else stirred within Kyoko, but it would be a long time before she truly understood that feeling.


	2. You Know I'm Gonna Be Like Him

**Act II: You Know I'm Gonna Be Like Him**

Months passed, and Hope's Peak Academy prepared for its culture festival in the late autumn. While some students merely did the standard prep work, others' talents would enrich the festival. In Class 77-B, the Ultimate Cook was preparing his best dishes, the Ultimate Musician planned to give a concert and the Ultimate Gymnast would do some routines, among other contributions.

A few days before the festival, just before preparations began in earnest, Makoto walked up to Kyoko after class.

"Good afternoon, Kirigiri-san," Makoto said. "Do you have a minute?"

"I do, Naegi-kun," Kirigiri-san said. "Do you need something?"

While Makoto was almost always the one to initiate conversations with Kyoko, she felt a bit more at ease around him. Nevertheless, there were still many things she wasn't comfortable discussing with him, and she imagined that the same went for him, even if she had a hard time imagining what he'd need to keep secret.

"Just a quick question," Makoto said. "Would you like to come to the culture festival with me?"

Kyoko shook her head. The prospect wasn't completely unappealing to her, but she didn't want to give Makoto false hope about her considering it.

"I'm sorry, but I won't be able to make it," Kyoko said. "I'll be out doing some investigative work at the headmaster's request."

"Oh," Makoto said. "Bad timing on my part, I guess?"

"No, I'd say you had perfect timing," Kyoko said, "because I was planning on leaving tomorrow. I do appreciate the invitation, though."

"You're welcome," Makoto said. "Good luck with the investigation, even if I'm not sure whether 'luck' is something you need."

Kyoko thanked Makoto and said goodbye. She appreciated the kind words, but noticed that he seemed unusually disappointed.

* * *

Kyoko's investigation took several days, and ended just after after the culture festival did. Hope's Peak Academy was rather tolerant of absences related to one's talent, especially if the headmaster had personally authorized it. Kyoko found this convenient, but realized that her father was seemingly treating her no differently than any other Ultimate worthy of admission to the school.

The day Kyoko returned to school, she met up with Sayaka in homeroom.

"Welcome back, Kirigiri-san," Sayaka said. "Did your investigation go well?'

"It did, thank you," Kyoko said. "I'm sorry I missed your concert, Maizono-san."

"It's fine," Sayaka said. "My dad had something come up at the last minute, so he couldn't make it, either. I realize this sort of thing happens to people who are busy with work."

"I appreciate the sentiment," Kyoko said, "but I am curious about one thing. What songs did you play?"

Sayaka then listed a few of her songs, from the song that put her idol group on the map to one of her more recent hits.

"...and a cover of an American song, 'Cat's In the Cradle'," Sayaka said.

"Do you mean the Harry Chapin song?" Kyoko said. "The one about the man who never had time for his son when the latter was young, only to have the situation reverse once the boy grows up?"

"That one!" Sayaka said, her face lighting up. "It really resonated with me, since my dad was often busy with work when I was little."

"I understand," Kyoko said. "The situation between myself and the headmaster is rather similar, although I didn't see him _at all_ for much of my childhood."

Sayaka paused and scrutinized Kyoko carefully. Kyoko was aware that everyone knew she and the headmaster had the same last name, and since Kirigiri was an uncommon surname, few were willing to write it off as a coincidence. Perhaps because it was so obvious, few felt the need to ask about it.

"I don't mean to pry," Sayaka said, "but you're not calling the headmaster 'Dad' or even 'Father.' Is it because you're obligated to call him by his title at school?"

"That's part of it," Kyoko said, "but it's mainly because I don't think of him as my father. In the song, the father never spent time with his son, so he failed to establish a parent-child relationship. That's part of the reason why the son refused his invitations."

Sayaka sighed and shook her head.

"You're not wrong about that," Sayaka said, "but the son also wants to be there for _his_ children, so maybe he's trying to be a better parent than his father. Besides, I think the song, like most tragedies, is a warning to not repeat the characters' mistakes."

"Perhaps it is," Kyoko said, "but hindsight, as they say, is 20-20. The things you recognize as mistakes from an objective perspective may have seemed like the right choice at the time. For example, the father might have believed that it was more important for him to support his family than to spend time with them, so my point is that it's not easy to tell when you're making a mistake"

"You're probably right," Sayaka said. "I guess you just need to know what you want to accomplish."

Kyoko nodded. She'd come to Hope's Peak to cut ties with her father, which should have been easy enough, but she couldn't bring herself to do such a thing. She'd concluded that she'd had to reject Makoto's invitation and undertake the investigation for her father, so why did she feel disappointed about it?

Kyoko tried to put the thoughts out of her head, or dismiss them as mere sentimentality, but the more time that passed, and the more she thought of Makoto, the harder it was to do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> The fic will occasionally mention Kyoko's relationship with Jin, but won't go into too much detail. It's primarily about her and Makoto, after all.
> 
> Sayaka's backstory reminds me a little of Aiko "Anko" Tokosumi from Bokurano(the manga version). Her father was often busy with work as a newscaster, so Anko hoped to become an idol singer to see him on TV. Unfortunately, while Anko is a good dancer and reasonably cute, she's a terrible singer.
> 
> That's two parts down, two to go. If you're familiar with the song, you may notice a change will come in the second half.


	3. See You Later, Can I Have Them, Please?

**Act III: See You Later, Can I Have Them, Please?**

A year passed, and the members of Class 78-C advanced to their final year of high school. Kyoko was often busy with her investigations and schoolwork, which limited how much time she had to spend with her schoolmates. She had never been a social butterfly, but for some reason, she became consciously aware of how she and her classmates had less time for one another.

Her yearmates were no less busy. While attending Hope's Peak was a golden ticket to success in life, students still had to take entrance exams. Kyoko ended up inviting Makoto to study with her in the library, suspecting that he needed the help. Midway through, they took a break to discuss where they were applying.

"So that's your first choice school?" Kyoko said to Makoto. "I thought you'd aim higher."

"Maybe I could," Makoto said, "but it has a good business program and it's close to my hometown, so it has everything I'm looking for."

"Good choice," Kyoko said. "I might be mistaken, but isn't Maizono-san from around the area?"

"She is," Makoto said, "but her idol work takes her all over Japan. She'll probably only be able to come home between concerts, which may not be all that often."

Makoto sighed wistfully after that statement.

"I can understand that," Kyoko said. "My work as a detective takes me many places, and I'll likely only get busier once I graduate. We may not have many opportunities to see each other."

"I know," Makoto said, "so it's good that we're able to study together like this."

Makoto and Kyoko both succeeded into getting into the schools of their choice. This was an occasion worth celebrating, but it confirmed what they both knew- in the spring, once they graduated, they would go their separate ways.

* * *

As March began and graduation approached, Kyoko had one last assignment to do for the headmaster, and returned just in time for the graduation ceremony.

Hope's Peak's graduates went many different places. Some went on to college, majoring in various fields. Others went straight into the workforce, since the fields in which their talents lay didn't always require a college degree. Still others joined the Self-Defense Force, went abroad or took other, less typical, career paths. In any case, graduation was the last time many Hope's Peak graduates would see their classmates, so Kyoko was glad to have made it back to school in time.

Just before the ceremony started, Kyoko sought out Makoto and found him with Sayaka.

"Oh, Kirigiri-san," Sayaka said. "I'm glad you could come. Naegi-kun and I were saying goodbye to everyone."

"As was I, Maizono-san," Kyoko said. "I'm glad I was able to finish my job in time for the event."

"Me too," Sayaka said, "because it's important to be able to say goodbye properly. It's a last chance to bury the hatchet with the people you don't get along with, to show the people you like that you appreciated your time together and to wish the best to everyone else."

Kyoko recalled how when she and Makoto had first met, he'd been willing to introduce himself to all their classmates, regardless of whether they seemed likely to become his friends. A part of her found that endearing, but another part was disappointed that he didn't have any particular reason to seek her out at what might be their last chance to see each other.

"What about you, Naegi-kun?" Kyoko said. "Do you feel the same way?"

"I do," Makoto said, "but it's not just about saying goodbye. We might be going different places, but there's a chance that we could meet again someday, and if that happens, I'd like for it to be on good terms."

"Likewise," Kyoko said. "Until we meet again."

The graduation ceremony soon began, featuring an address from the headmaster; a speech from the valedictorian, Kiyotaka Ishimaru; Sayaka singing "Give Me Wings" to the graduates; and the graduates receiving their diplomas, among other standards features of graduation events.

Even as Kyoko accepted her diploma from her father, her mind was on Makoto's words. Were they merely platitudes, or did he perhaps feel their time as schoolmates was worthwhile? Perhaps she wouldn't know the truth until their graduation faded into memory, and learned what she truly meant to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> As far as I know, there are only two years in Hope's Peak Academy. The members of Class 78-C were scouted while they were in their first year of high school, the members of 77-B(the second game) were in their first year at Hope's Peak/second year of high school, and Ruruka, Izayoi and Seiko were in their second year at Hope's Peak/third and final year of high school. At the time of the Tragedy, 77-B was about to graduate, while 78-C was in their first year at Hope's Peak. If the Tragedy hadn't occurred, there would have been a Class 79.
> 
> As for why the students are concerned with entrance exams, my interpretation is that while attending Hope's Peak is a massive boost to your resume, you still need to take and pass entrance exams.
> 
> The fourth and final part will show what sort of relationship Makoto and Kyoko have after high school.


	4. He Grew Up Just Like Me

**Act IV: He Grew Up Just Like Me**

Years passed and the graduates of Class 78-C of Hope's Peak Academy went on with their lives. Kyoko often spoke with her father, whether about investigation requests or other matters. In the end, Kyoko never was able to sever her ties with him, and while she admitted that their relationship would never be the same again, she had to admit that a part of her enjoyed those conversations.

Makoto and Kyoko occasionally kept in touch after high school, but seldom had opportunities to see each other. Shortly after the two became old enough to enjoy alcohol, she invited him to go out for drinks with her.

"I appreciate you accepting my invitation, Naegi-kun," Kyoko said as they sat down together, "but I notice something's troubling you."

"I'm that easy to read, huh?" Makoto said. "You always were perceptive, Kirigiri-san."

"Maybe I am," Kyoko said, "because I've observed that you're quite open with your thoughts and feelings."

Makoto nervously chuckled.

"Well, your guess was half right," Makoto said, "because I'm not the one who's troubled- Sayaka is."

Kyoko nearly jumped out of her skin. Makoto was always polite and courteous, using last names with appropriate honorifics on most of his friends and acquaintances. His younger sister Komaru was the only person he called by her first name without honorifics, so if he did the same for Sayaka...

"Maizono-san is?" Kyoko said.

"Yeah," Makoto said, looking around. "Don't tell anyone, but her idol career's on the rocks. Her agency's starting to get tired of her and her friends now that the novelty of the Ultimate Pop Sensation's fading."

"I'd heard rumors like this," Kyoko said, "but nothing definite. I hadn't expected Maizono-san's career to go downhill so soon."

"For idol singers, talent isn't everything," Makoto said. "Their success is determined by their public appeal and their fanbases can be rather fickle. If the public gets tired of them, or they have a scandal, they're finished."

Kyoko nodded, then looked around. The rest of the patrons were preoccupied, and most of them had already had a few drinks, so those who could hear them weren't listening very closely.

"Scandals like... being in a relationship?" Kyoko said.

"Nailed it," Makoto said. "We've been going out since the start of our second year at Hope's Peak, although we agreed to keep it secret. Sayaka said I could trust you with it, since you're a friend, and probably figured it out by now."

Kyoko was rendered speechless for a moment. She'd always known that Makoto and Sayaka were friends, but was thoroughly flabbergasted that she hadn't noticed they'd been in a relationship while they were schoolmates.

"She gives me too much credit," Kyoko said, "but I won't tell anyone."

"Thanks," Makoto said. "Sayaka wants to keep going as long as she can with her friends, for the sake of the dream they achieved together. Despite that, she knows the writing's on the wall for them, and she's starting to think about her life after being an idol singer."

Makoto then changed the subject. Kyoko tried to keep her usual poker face, but suspected that Makoto noticed that she seemed distracted for the rest of the evening, and wondered if he realized the reason why.

* * *

Within a few years, Makoto graduated from college, and Sayaka's agency terminated her and her friends' contract. Makoto proposed to Sayaka, who happily accepted.

The two of them sent out wedding invitations to their schoolmates, Makoto's coworkers and Sayaka's former groupmates. Naturally, Kyoko received an invitation, and she RSVPed to let the couple know she would attend.

Kyoko wore a formal purple gown to the wedding. She wore white opera gloves over her scarred hands in lieu of her usual gloves, and while they were less practical, they better suited a formal event.

The wedding was a standard Western-style wedding, with the venue being a small church in Makoto's hometown. Only friends and family were invited, and Kyoko ended up sitting on the bride's side of the church.

During the reception, Sayaka, fresh off a conversation with her new sister-in-law, asked to speak with Kyoko.

"Thank you for the invitation, Maizono-san," Kyoko said, "and congratulations on your wedding."

"I'm grateful for the kind words, Kirigiri-san," Sayaka said, "but I'm a Naegi now, just like Makoto. Why not call me 'Sayaka'?"

"Very well, Sayaka-san," Kyoko said. "Still, I was not expecting to receive an invitation."

"Of course we'd invite you," Sayaka said. "Makoto asked to include you, but wouldn't have done it unless it was okay with me. You're our friend, after all."

As Kyoko nodded and said "Thank you," the music player then moved on to its next track- Sayaka and her friends' cover of "Cat's In The Cradle." Kyoko immediately recognized the tune.

"Ah yes, this song," Kyoko said. "I've often listened to it ever since the single was released. It's certainly a good choice for your wedding."

"I know," Sayaka said. "Makoto said he plans to be there for our kids, and while he has a duty to support the family, he doesn't intend to spend all his time working. I'd say that for him, this song's warning got through."

"Indeed," Kyoko said. "Do you regret what happened to your idol career?"

"Not really," Sayaka said. "I'll probably miss being an idol from time to time, but I was glad I was able to do it. It helped me meet the members of my group, come to Hope's Peak and get a second chance to fall in love with Makoto. It didn't last, but that doesn't mean it wasn't worthwhile."

Kyoko's gaze wandered, and she saw Makoto with some of his old friends, clearly as happy as he could be. Some would consider him oblivious to what his wife had lost, but Kyoko knew that he'd made many compromises over the course of his relationship with Sayaka, from accommodating her being busy with idol work to keeping their relationship secret. There was no question in her mind that they deserved each other.

"By the way, Kirigiri-san," Sayaka said, "or Kyoko-san, if it's OK with you. Makoto and I would like to keep in touch with you, if you'd like that."

"Why wouldn't I, Sayaka-san?" Kyoko said. "After all, I'd like to stay friends with you."

Seeing the happy couple together would likely stir up painful memories for Kyoko, and remind her of how she'd missed the chance to be with the first boy she'd been interested in. But Kyoko believed that even painful memories could be useful lessons, and swore never to forget what she'd learned, or those who had taught it to her.

_And the cat's in the cradle and the silver spoon_

_Little boy blue and the man in the moon_

_When you coming home, son, I don't know when_

_But we'll get together then, dad_

_We're gonna have a good time then_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Notes
> 
> Thank you for reading this fic.
> 
> One of the reasons why I wrote it is to show that Kyoko and Makoto probably wouldn't have become a couple if not for the experiences in the killing game that led to them bonding, partly because they're so different personality-wise, and partly because Sayaka wouldn't end up dying. I personally chose the song because it fit the overall themes of the fic, and the gradual progression of Makoto and Kyoko's relationship.

**Author's Note:**

> This fic will explore how Makoto and Kyoko's relationship might have developed if the killing game hadn't happened. As you might have guessed, Junko Enoshima was never born in this AU.
> 
> It's fairly short- no more than 4,000 words long- and will be in four major parts, with two scenes each. Each chapter will be titled as a verse from the Harry Chapin song.


End file.
